


Not to Disappear

by Shadowkira



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate S2 Plot, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Anger, Angst with a Happy Ending, Boundaries, F/F, Trust, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-22
Updated: 2017-11-05
Packaged: 2019-01-21 04:00:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12449244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowkira/pseuds/Shadowkira
Summary: Heros often do things with good intentions in mind, but they can easily be misinterpreted. One is running from the past, trying to forge a new beginning, the other is stuck, trying to figure out how to move forward again.Trust is lost in the beginning but a few chance encounters can restore it...~~~~~Slowburn, will be set as a one shot because I believe it can stand alone but I will probably add to it later, /slowly/ so please be patient. Getting into the whole writing thing again. Will not be a long story, if it is continued.





	1. Chapter 1

* * *

 

_I’m trying to get out_

_Find a subtle way out_

_Not to cross myself out_

_Not to disappear_

 

 

* * *

Supergirl landed gently on pristine marble tile, her cape the only indication of her arrival as it snapped in the breeze. The traffic below drowned out the sound, and there was no movement from inside the apartment that indicated otherwise.

The hero stepped forward, trying her best  to ignore the way the sunset behind her cast her shadow long and imposing toward the balcony doors.

Supergirl tried one last time to scan the floor, but found it impossible.  _‘Lined with lead?’_

She hesitated, sharply tuned senses trying to discern the whereabouts of the owner of the apartment. She could hear a faucet running somewhere toward the opposite end of the floor and assumed the other woman was in the shower.

The girl of steel hesitated at the threshold before stepping inside, her brief internal battle lost as Kal El’s voice echoed in her mind.

Normally she would never enter the home of a civilian, unless it was in the case of an emergency but her cousin had been adamant she inspect the home of one Lena Luthor.

He would have done it himself, he had almost flown to National City to do so but Kara had told him she would. That she had the situation under control, he had other things to worry about.

She knew that he was also severely biased, his experiences with Lena’s older brother leaving him with no trust for the rest of the Luthor family.

Supergirl hovered silently over the hardwood floor, her eyes glancing over the kitchen and scanning for anything out of the ordinary. She found nothing.

Lena had gotten home only fifteen or so minutes before, leaving the doors to her spacious balcony open after a quick dinner.

The dishes from said dinner were soaking in the sink and from what Supergirl could tell, they were some of the very few to be unpacked from thick card board boxes.

Blue eyes paused on a beautifully manicured bonsai that graced the CEO’s breakfast bar, for such a small plant, it stood out brilliantly against the emptiness that surrounded it.

Supergirl had noticed that the youngest Luthor seemed to have a thing for plants. A wide variety of herbs and tropical plants on display on her balcony and her office had some of the most beautiful orchids that the blonde had ever seen, even from her view in the sky.

The hero made her way quickly through the living room and once again found nothing incriminating. The only thing of interest being two large picture frames on the fireplace mantle, placed face down although they had been thoughtfully placed and unpacked.

The blonde’s brows knit together as she approached, her curiosity getting the better of her. The first frame, the larger of the two, was a family portrait. Lena stood tall, face with only a slight smile as she stood beside her brother.

Supergirl returned the frame to the mantle with a soft frown, hesitating before gently lifting the second. This image was much different, a broad and light smile flashed across Lena’s features as she hugged her brother tightly. They were both laughing about something that was lost to the hero.

Feeling as if she were imposing, Supergirl moved on through the rest of the apartment. Office, spare bedroom, guest bathroom, all which came back clean. Nothing out of the ordinary, just more unpacked boxes. The office had appeared to be the most used space, but Lena only had interest in bringing typical spreadsheets and documents from her family’s company.

Lead lined walls urged Supergirl back the hallway toward the master bedroom, knowing that Kal had trusted Lex for years before he had showed his true colors.

She could hear the water running even louder now, a constant thrum of white noise.

The Super flinched as her gentle push to Lena’s door caused the hinge to creak. She paused for a moment before moving forward, her ears catching the faintest hint of movement from behind her.

“I keep telling myself that I need to grease that.” Lena said in a low hiss as she pushed open the door to her bathroom.

Supergirl froze, a sick feeling twisting her stomach. She gasped as the floor rose to meet her as she fell to one knee. Blue eyes sought out the other woman and widened when they fell on a small chunk of kryptonite.

“W-why do you have  _that_?” Supergirl asked dumbly, fear tightening her chest. 

_What if Kal hadn’t been biased at all?_

“Why are you in my home?” Lena countered, her lip curling into a sneer. She didn't seem to be at all ashamed in her state of undress. Blouse already tossed to her hamper, black bra doing nothing to hide the flush of anger across her face and neck.

Supergirl swallowed thickly, "My cousin, Superman-"

Lena laughed, the sound harsh and biting. "Of course. Come to damn me before my company can even be renamed, my building completely set up! Doing a service really... I'm sure he's told you all about my brother."

The hero watched pain flicker across the other woman's features, she sucked in a deep breath before trying to rise onto unsteady legs.

Lena's eyes flashed at the movement and she thrust the Kryptonite back toward the blonde, forcing her back to the floor. "Why are you _here?"_

Supergirl grit her teeth, as she attempted to swallow the nausea bubbling at the back of her throat. "I wanted to see, for myself-"

Lena grabbed her roughly by her cape, forcing her to look back over her shoulder. "And what do you see?"

Supergirl looked her in the eye, before allowing her eyes to drift over the other woman and take in her stance, not just her expression. To see the way that her knuckles were white as she clutched the Kryptonite. "I see, someone who is afraid... Someone who is angry, for all the right reasons. I-I should have never entered without permission, especially with what has happened. I'm sorry."

Lena's jaw flexed, she lowered the Kryptonite before gently tugging on the cape. "Didn't anyone ever tell you heroes these things are dangerous?" Her voice was low, but softer now, her green grey eyes watching the other woman closely.

The ghost of a smile twitched at the corner of Supergirl's mouth and she gasped as she felt the sharp tip of a stiletto dig into the curve of her back.

Lena released the cape and watched with a small amount of satisfaction as the hero tumbled forward onto her floor. "Get out."

Supergirl did as she was told and was gone before Lena could reach her bathroom door. Steam swirled from the room and the young CEO sighed, returning the Kryptonite to its place in the pendant that rested on her sternum.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remember, /slow burn./
> 
> I have no beta, so I apologize for any mistakes. They're all mine.

“You did _ what _ ?!” Alex shrieked, the brunette exhaled slowly as she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Kara… You cannot just barge into a civilian household, especially without there being an open investigation!”

The blonde kept her eyes lowered, fidgeting with a loose thread on her cardigan. “I know, Alex, I’m sorry I just… Kal was so insistent, and I wanted to handle it on my own-”

“Yes, Kara, but you work for the DEO… WITH the DEO, you’re not acting alone.” Alex responded, “This is so bad… Right when the president is making such headway with alien rights, too. We cannot have it get out that you made a civilian feel threatened in their own home, a  _ Luthor _ at that!” 

Kara sighed heavily, “I know… I’m sorry. I don’t think she will say anything though.” 

“You don’t know that, Kara.” Alex said grimly before throwing herself down on the couch beside her sister. “J’onn cannot find out about this… UGH but he has to, she has _ kryptonite _ …” 

Supergirl studied her sister’s features, guilt twisting her stomach. “Snapper wants me to get an exclusive with Lena…”

Alex laughed, sarcastically. “Of course he does.”

“He wants me to fail, with Cat gone… He gave it to me because she’s been very adamant about not speaking to the press at all.”

“You think he’s trying to get you fired?” Alex asked, sounding a little grateful for the shift in topic.

“I don’t know, honestly. I’m not sure that I care, either.” Kara said, with a shrug.

“I thought you wanted to be a reporter?” Alex asked, arching a brow in surprise.

“I did, too. I’m starting to wonder if I wanted it, or if it was Kal’s suggestion that made me feel obligated to want it. The glasses, the costume...” The blonde muttered, “The damn  _ cape _ .” 

Alex frowned, realizing how upset her sister must be if she was actually being so open and swearing. She reached out and grabbed the Super’s hand in her own, rubbing her thumb against the back of it.

“I’ll talk to J’onn, you focus on your assignment for now. Just… You don’t have to do everything Kal says, you don’t have to do what he  _ does _ .” She said, her voice soft, any agitation from before had drained from her. “You’re your own person.” 

Kara let her head fall to Alex’s shoulder, her eyes glassy. “I don’t know what I’d do, if I weren’t at Catco, though… I don’t know how to do this balancing act anymore.” 

Alex chuckled, “Welcome to adulthood, none of us know what we’re doing.” 

The elder sister moved her hand up to stroke the top of the blonde’s head,  “I know you have it tough, Kar. We’ll figure it out, together.”

~~~

Kara fidgeted with the strap to her bag as she waited on the elevator, her stomach had been riddled with knots all morning. 

Alex had warned her to steer clear of the DEO for now, J’onn was livid, with her and especially with Kal. 

Her cousin had been calling the Martian and insisting that he take action against Lena and take the kryptonite from her. Alex said that it was the angriest that she had seen J’onn in a while, and that the kryptonite was a sore subject.

Kara blinked, glancing up as the doors to the elevator opened, revealing a small waiting area. The assistant seated nearby glanced up, a smile sliding across her lips.

“Kara Danvers, with Catco magazine? Miss Luthor is expecting you, please head right on in.” 

“Thank you, uhm-” Kara returned her smile before she glanced toward the woman’s desk, “Jess.”

“You’re welcome.” Jess nodded, before looking back to her work.

Kara’s fingers hovered over the handle to the door, her stomach twisting for a different reason now. She inhaled deeply, fingers pressing to the cool metal as she felt Jess’ eyes move toward her curiously.

Lena was seated at her desk, typing away rapidly on her laptop. The light streaming in from the large windows that separated her desk from her balcony created almost an ethereal look to her, catching highlights in her dark hair that Kara hadn’t noticed before.

Lena’s fingers paused over the keys but her eyes remained trained to her screen as Kara shut the door quietly behind her. “Ah, the reporter from Catco.” 

The greeting was simple, it wasn’t warm but it wasn’t cold, either. 

“Uh, yes, hello Miss Luthor… Thank you for having me, it would be a pleasure to sit down and speak with you today.”

Lena’s eyes rose then, “Oh, will it?”

She kept her expression neutral but for some reason a chill ran down Kara’s spine as she watched the other woman close her laptop before rising to come around to the front of her desk. 

“I am going to make this very simple,” Lena said as she crossed her arms over her chest. “You aren’t special. I didn’t invite you here for an interview, I invited you here to tell you that I do not appreciate you spying on me.”

“I-I don’t know that I understand…” Kara swallowed thickly, her hand tightening its grip on the strap of her bag.

  
“Really, Supergirl? You and your cousin are both reporters??” 

Kara’s eyes widened, her mind trying to process exactly what was happening. Of all of the ways she had expected this interview to go, this was not one of the foreseeable options. 

“....How did you know about Clark?” 

Lena laughed, the sound harsh in the otherwise stiff silence between them. “Do you really think that my brother wouldn’t confide in me?” 

Kara’s heart sank and once again Kal’s words echoed in her head,  _ ‘never trust a Luthor.’ _

“I didn’t know what to believe of course, given he’d gone insane. I do not condone what he did, in fact I despise him for it and I did not have any ill will toward Superman… Until now.” The dark haired woman pushed off of her desk and took a few confident strides forward until she was just in front of Kara. “You came into my home and violated my privacy. You watched me for God knows how long before that and now you’re here. What is it you want from me?”

Kara didn’t know what to think, she didn’t know what to say. Confusion and guilt were warring it out in her mind, and here was this woman staring her down as if she didn’t have the strength and speed to stop a speeding bullet. 

“I just came here for an interview.” She admitted, unsure of what else to say. 

Lena studied her carefully, “Well, here’s your exclusive… I will not be speaking to the press until my renaming ceremony. Leave me alone, at work, at home and anywhere else you see fit to try spy on me.”

She turned and stalked back toward her desk, heels clicking loudly against the tiled floor. “If you refuse to back off, I may have to find another reporter to have an exclusive with... If you’d like your privacy, I would hope that you can respect mine.”

Kara flexed her jaw, nodding despite the fact that she knew the other woman wasn’t looking directly at her, hoping that she saw it in the reflection in the glass. 

She turned quickly, frustration making her eyes sting as she rushed out of the office. Refusing to risk further embarrassment waiting for the elevator, Kara exited via the stairwell.

Jess glanced up from her desk, frowning slightly at the loud way that the door shut behind the blonde. 

~~~

“This just keeps getting better and better…” Alex mumbled into the phone, rubbing at her temples. She ignored the gentle hand at her back as Maggie listened in from beside her on their bed. 

“I don’t know what to do. Snapper is livid, he acts like he doesn’t believe that she called me in there just to tell me she had nothing to say. Now he’s saying that the only chance I have is to squeeze in a good question at her press conference for her renaming ceremony.”

“At least there will be other people there-”

“Alex, she doesn’t want me _ anywhere _ near her. She threatened me, remember?” 

The elder sister sighed into her phone, scratching at her scalp in frustration. “Do not tell J’onn, Winn, James,  _ no one.  _ If James asks anything…”

“James doesn’t know, I promise.”

“Okay,” Alex said slowly, “then just play it cool… Do what you can and stay away from the DEO for now. Winn or I can contact you if we need to, J’onn just really needs time to process and for this to blow over.”

“So you think that I should go…?”

“It sounds like you have to, unless you’re going to quit your day job. You’re not a quitter, Kara. Just... Be smart.” 

“I will, thanks Alex.”

“No problem, try to get some sleep, Kar.” 

Kara frowned as she set her phone on the nightstand before tucking her arms behind her head, “Yeah… Sleep.” 

  
She glanced toward the clock, her frown deepening when she realized it was only 10:43pm. It was going to be a long night.


End file.
